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How do plants come back each year if they die in the winter?

How do plants come back each year if they die in the winter?

  • 1/10/2017 10:23:00 AM
  • View Count 25730
As the wind grows cooler, leaves drop and snow begins to fall, it’s easy to look at a shriveled, brown plant in the yard and think it’s dead. But that’s just what’s above the surface. Below ground, the plant is still alive, just settled in for a long winter’s nap.
Take a winter retreat at Lake of Three Fires

Take a winter retreat at Lake of Three Fires

  • 12/8/2016 4:22:00 PM
  • View Count 18379
For a weekend getaway with friends, where nothing will interrupt relaxation or quiet connecting, this southern Iowa park, 25 miles east of Clarinda, is ideal.
Why do bats hang upside down?

Why do bats hang upside down?

  • 12/8/2016 3:06:00 PM
  • View Count 75186
Unlike birds, bats have trouble with takeoffs from the ground. Their wings are not as strong as those of birds and they cannot run fast enough to build up flight speed. Bats have an easier time flying when they start already in the air. They use their front claws on their wings to climb to a high spot and launch themselves to achieve flight.
Why is fire red and yellow?

Why is fire red and yellow?

  • 12/8/2016 2:35:00 PM
  • View Count 41004
While you might first think of the reds and yellows in a campfire, a flame can encompass many colors of the rainbow.
Iowa State Parks offer great winter cabin getaways

Iowa State Parks offer great winter cabin getaways

  • 12/7/2016 10:23:00 AM
  • View Count 5380
The quiet solitude that makes a perfect winter getaway is waiting for you in beautiful, comfortable year-round cabins at several Iowa state parks. It’s a great time to take advantage of trails for hiking, skiing, snowmobiling and wildlife watching. And many of the parks have great ice fishing lakes.
Special $10 offer for Iowa Outdoors magazine

Special $10 offer for Iowa Outdoors magazine

  • 11/29/2016 11:39:00 AM
  • View Count 4305
Do you know someone who loves the outdoors? Give the gift that lasts all year long. Iowa Outdoors is an award-winning magazine filled with beautiful photography, compelling articles and expert tips about hunting, fishing, nature destinations, hiking, camping, outdoor cooking and much more! 
Hunters use popular program to donate deer meat to Food Bank of Iowa

Hunters use popular program to donate deer meat to Food Bank of Iowa

  • 11/22/2016 1:57:00 PM
  • View Count 12884
Have an extra deer at the end of the hunt? Maybe you bought an extra tag, to hunt longer? Consider donating to Iowa’s HUSH program. HUSH (Help Us Stop Hunger) works with 81 participating lockers to provide high quality meat to needy Iowans, through the Food Bank of Iowa. 
Take a

Take a "Kid" Fishing

  • 11/16/2016 2:00:00 PM
  • View Count 12653
The first day of November looked to be a promising day. I had the morning off to go trout fishing and the weather was cooperating. Like most people, I don’t go fishing nearly often enough so I wanted to share my outing with someone. My husband and kids would all be at work. The grandkids were in school or at the sitter’s. As I considered my options, my husband’s uncle came to mind. 
Why don’t we have earthquakes in Iowa?

Why don’t we have earthquakes in Iowa?

  • 11/7/2016 1:19:00 PM
  • View Count 38577
For most of us living in Iowa, we’re much more familiar with snowstorms and tornadoes. What we do know about earthquakes we’ve likely learned from movies or textbooks, but earthquakes do occasionally rumble in our state.
Meet Wapsipinicon, one of Iowa's most unique state parks

Meet Wapsipinicon, one of Iowa's most unique state parks

  • 11/4/2016 3:31:00 PM
  • View Count 49558
Thus endures one of the many stories, myths, legends and even proven historical facts about Horse Thief Cave, a well-known feature of what is now Wapsipinicon State Park, and, though its tale-inspiring caves are definitely a main draw, Wapsipinicon is so much more. 
A Halloween night fishing on the Turkey River

A Halloween night fishing on the Turkey River

  • 10/27/2016 4:15:00 PM
  • View Count 10048
As boredom and tedium creep into my weary mind, may I reflect back to the hard strike of that big-eyed creature, and the glorious excitement and the deep pull of something new, yet playfully familiar.
A place of your own: grown-up treehouses

A place of your own: grown-up treehouses

  • 10/25/2016 3:48:00 PM
  • View Count 13491
A tree big and strong enough for a treehouse is a tree worth saving. Here’s advice from arborists and treehouse building experts and what three treehouse owners did to minimize impacts on their trees.
Pheasant hunting: The perfect day

Pheasant hunting: The perfect day

  • 10/18/2016 1:49:00 PM
  • View Count 15237
For a lot of hunters, there is one special time among all of your hunting trips that stands out as having been perfect, a day of pure bliss when all the stars line up just right and everything connects at just the right time and in just the right place.
Looking for a place to host your holiday gathering?

Looking for a place to host your holiday gathering?

  • 10/18/2016 12:27:00 PM
  • View Count 3969
Are you responsible for planning your holiday get-together or company party? Need a place to host it? You might want to check out several state park lodges open year-round.
Quail on the rise in Iowa

Quail on the rise in Iowa

  • 10/13/2016 8:52:00 AM
  • View Count 25286
Loren Zaruba looked on in excitement—it was the wildlife identification section of the annual Youth Hunter Education Challenge. He and his wife, Ellen, had spent the last three months working with a handful of young competitors, so when the speaker played a familiar “bob-white” call, Loren beamed. But as the teenagers’ faces turned blank and unsure, he realized that question wasn’t easy anymore—hunter or not, none of the youngsters had seen or heard a bobwhite quail.
Colors of the Driftless

Colors of the Driftless

  • 10/7/2016 3:14:00 PM
  • View Count 15765
Far up in the northeast corner of Iowa lies a tiny gem of a town called Marquette. The town proudly proclaims to be “Iowa’s Best Kept Secret.” In fact, if it wasn’t for the congenial welcome sign that reads “The People of Iowa Welcome You. Iowa: Fields of Opportunities,” most Iowans would never know they were still in the Hawkeye State. Yet, in this area of Iowa, the sign almost seems like a misnomer as there are few fields to see.
Out of the way fall color

Out of the way fall color

  • 9/30/2016 11:17:00 AM
  • View Count 10262
Autumn brings a welcoming crispness to the air. It’s officially fall in the Midwest, and fun abounds statewide for those in search of color and good times outdoors. Yes, northeast Iowa is the top hotspot for fall color, but here are some less trod places with everything from fishing to paddling and hiking. So get out—there is much to explore!
7 must-see waterfalls in Iowa State Parks

7 must-see waterfalls in Iowa State Parks

  • 9/29/2016 3:39:00 PM
  • View Count 68610
From nature's splendor to man-made spillways, these water features are definitely wonderful. Below, get the full list of Iowa's waterfalls, how to get to each one, and ideas on other things to do in the area while on your waterfall tour.
So you think you can mulch

So you think you can mulch

  • 9/28/2016 3:34:00 PM
  • View Count 11759
Mulching can be the best thing you can do to promote the health of trees, shrubs and plants. It can also be the worst, if done improperly. 
State parks peak season winding down

State parks peak season winding down

  • 9/27/2016 2:23:00 PM
  • View Count 4478
Another busy year in Iowa’s state parks will be coming to an end and soon staff will be preparing for the first freezing temperatures of the fall.
Find Public Hunting on Private Land with IHAP

Find Public Hunting on Private Land with IHAP

  • 9/1/2016 4:01:00 PM
  • View Count 18361
Hunting can be a great family activity or a solo adventure. Stroll through tall grass, hear the explosive rising cackle of pheasants, thrill at the thunderous gobble of a male wild turkey, see a few majestic deer—and maybe get the chance to take one home. That opportunity already exists on scores of acres near you, thanks in part to landowners who open their property through the Iowa Habitat and Access Program, or IHAP.
Iowa Pheasant Population Similar to 2015, Quail Highest in 27 Years

Iowa Pheasant Population Similar to 2015, Quail Highest in 27 Years

  • 8/30/2016 11:34:00 AM
  • View Count 54252
State officials covered more than 6,000 miles of county roads counting upland game during the first two weeks of August and after all the species were counted, data compiled and numbers crunched, what can Iowa pheasant hunters expect to find this fall?
Iowa's Bullseye Boys

Iowa's Bullseye Boys

  • 8/26/2016 3:08:00 PM
  • View Count 13705
Archery requires rigorous concentration and is steeped in history, but two Iowa teens are starting a new chapter—Nick Wright of Spencer will be the first Iowa archer from a national after-school program to receive a collegiate athletic scholarship this fall, and David Machart of Anamosa is the first Iowan, fifth in the nation, to score a perfect 300. 
Dove Hunting in Iowa Opens September 1

Dove Hunting in Iowa Opens September 1

  • 8/22/2016 1:18:00 PM
  • View Count 6067
Iowa's sunflower fields will be a little busier this fall as hunters take part in the dove hunting season starting Sept. 1. Dove hunting is a great way to introduce young or new hunters to the sport since weather is nice and hunting requires only simple equipment.
Campfire Cooking: Dutch Baby Pancakes

Campfire Cooking: Dutch Baby Pancakes

  • 8/17/2016 3:29:00 PM
  • View Count 15414
This sweet, hearty breakfast will please young and old alike. And just by chance, if you have a tiny slice left over at the end of the day, a scoop of ice cream alongside, a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate makes a mighty fine dessert. 
New Lake Darling Year-Round Cabins to Open Next Week

New Lake Darling Year-Round Cabins to Open Next Week

  • 8/9/2016 1:14:00 PM
  • View Count 4957
The public is invited to check out Iowa’s latest state park cabins at a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, August 16 at 6 p.m. The six brand new year-round cabins are located at Lake Darling State Park in Washington County.
More Than 25,000 Acres of Private Land Open to Hunting This Fall

More Than 25,000 Acres of Private Land Open to Hunting This Fall

  • 8/9/2016 1:11:00 PM
  • View Count 29609
Iowa hunters this fall will have access to hunt on more than 25,000 acres of private land on 132 sites around the state as part of a program that helps landowners improve habitat on portions of their land in exchange for allowing hunter access.
Join the Iowa DNR at the 2016 Iowa State Fair

Join the Iowa DNR at the 2016 Iowa State Fair

  • 8/3/2016 2:00:00 PM
  • View Count 8734
A trip to the Iowa State Fair is not complete without a stop at the Iowa DNR building – you’ll want to stop to see the Iowa fish in the historic aquarium, have your questions answered, and take in a presentation in our beautiful courtyard.
Tales From the Sundown Club

Tales From the Sundown Club

  • 7/29/2016 1:47:00 PM
  • View Count 12143
A familiar pond takes on a surreal new world as darkness settles and an angler’s senses rely more on sound and feel than eyesight.
Governor's awards honor environmental leaders

Governor's awards honor environmental leaders

  • 7/7/2016 1:17:00 PM
  • View Count 4722
DES MOINES — Forty-three Iowa organizations, businesses and communities were nominated for consideration to receive an Governor’s Iowa Environmental Excellence Award from Gov. Terry E. Branstad and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The awards are Iowa’s premier environmental honors.
Iowa DNR: 30 Years, 30 Natural Resource Successes

Iowa DNR: 30 Years, 30 Natural Resource Successes

  • 6/21/2016 11:23:00 AM
  • View Count 5561
DES MOINES — July 1 marks the 30th anniversary of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, established by the State Legislature when several state agencies consolidated in 1986. To help commemorate the 30th anniversary, the DNR is highlighting 30 success stories for Iowa’s natural resources during the last three decades.
Holstein Teacher Recognized for Outstanding Fishing Program

Holstein Teacher Recognized for Outstanding Fishing Program

  • 6/14/2016 1:18:00 PM
  • View Count 4480
Justin Kinney, physical education and health instructor at Ridge View High School in Holstein, is the 2016 recipient of the Brass Bluegill award from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fish Iowa! program.
Fishing the Graveyard Shift

Fishing the Graveyard Shift

  • 5/26/2016 4:11:00 PM
  • View Count 18371
Ultimately, I think the lure of the riverbank and flathead fishing is that life slows down so much. It is so very simple, so basic and elemental, almost like a form of asceticism. Life is reduced to its simplest terms.
Camping Season is Underway

Camping Season is Underway

  • 5/24/2016 1:27:00 PM
  • View Count 6602
Many Iowa campers have already taken advantage of this spring’s beautiful camping weather, and many more will join them at the end of the week. Anxious campers are going through their equipment and checking supplies, preparing for the Memorial Day weekend and kickoff to summer. Likewise, state park staff is going through the final stages of prep work for its peak camping season. Iowa’s state parks expect to host more than 900,000 overnight stays and nearly 15 million day visits this year.
Anamosa Archer Sets Sights on National Championship

Anamosa Archer Sets Sights on National Championship

  • 5/10/2016 12:04:00 PM
  • View Count 4931
David Machart is no stranger to the awards stand. The charismatic 18 year old archer from Anamosa is the reigning Iowa 3D and Bullseye State Champion, the 2015 Wold Championship runner up, the 2015 National Championship third place overall and the first Iowa archer to shoot a perfect 300 in an event – the day before his 18th birthday.
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